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A teenager cried in court after he walked free for ra**ng a young girl he met while drinking alcohol in a park in South Shields.

Owen Wilson, now 18, wiped away tears and smiled as Judge Penny Moreland handed him a two year suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court.

Wilson, of Grace Court, South Shields, must also complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of rehabilitation activity.

He was made subject to a 10 year restraining order and placed on the s*x offenders register for 10 years.

The court heard that Wilson, who was aged 15 at the time, was drinking with friends at a park in South Shields on the afternoon of August 19, 2023.

During the afternoon the group began speaking to younger girls who were also in the park

The court heard the victim started drinking with the group but as the day progressed she was left alone with Wilson.

The following day the victim told her friend that Wilson had r***d her.

She then informed a family member, who contacted police.

When officers interviewed Wilson, he gave a "no comment" interview before later pleading guilty to r**e at a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Sentencing Wilson, Judge Penny Moreland said she had to impose the sentence that would likely have been handed down at the time of the offence, when Wilson was 15.

A Holyhead man has been jailed after admitting child abuse image offences, offering to supply co***ne to a child and growing cannabis at his home.

Joshua Krumstets, 37, of Porthdafarch Road, Holyhead, was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to growing cannabis, offering to supply co***ne to a child and three counts of making indecent photographs of children.

The court also imposed a S*xual Harm Prevention Order and ordered Krumstets to sign the S*x Offenders Register for the next 10 years.

North Wales Police said officers examining Krumstets’ digital devices found disturbing images and videos of young children.

Detective Constable Sarah Jones said: “Krumstets viewed and possessed some disturbing images and videos of young children on his devices.

“He offered to supply a child with drugs and has been caught twice now with a cannabis grow at his property, and I welcome the court’s sentence.”

Krumstets admitted offences under the Protection of Children Act 1978 relating to the making of indecent photographs of children, as well as offences of growing cannabis and offering to supply a Class A drug.

The victim of a brutal attack by a predator colleague has been praised after he was jailed.

The woman courageously fought off Marcus Jones who followed her into the staff toilet at her workplace on Boxing Day last year and attacked her.

Despite Jones trying to strangle her, the victim managed to escape the toilet and raise the alarm.

Officers blue-lighted to the scene and arrested Jones who had made off from the shop, texting his girlfriend to say he’d lay in wait for the victim.

And despite giving a no comment interview, the 22-year-old was charged with false imprisonment, intentional strangulation, attempted s*xual assault and assault by beating.

Jones, of Witton Park, Bishop Auckland, was due to go to trial after pleading not guilty to some of the charges but changed his pleas at Durham Crown Court and was sentenced to 45 months in prison on Friday (June 19). It was his first offence.